If Nancy Russell was still alive today, looking out at Columbia River Gorge from her new viewpoint at Cape Horn would have given her chills. More than 300 guests felt her presence during a dedication in her honor Saturday. The morning mist hitting their faces felt like tears of joy. And as each guest shared their story about Nancy, the fog lifted and everybody could see east for miles.
Thirty-four club members from Lacamas Swim & Sport had no idea what they were getting themselves into when they signed up to do a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run in one day. That is a total of 140.6 miles. Most people would call that pure torture, but this tight group of Camas, Washougal, Vancouver and Brush Prairie residents have caught the rush. After nearly a year of training, these Headhunters are aiming to cross the finish line at the 2011 Ironman Canada Aug. 28, in Penticton, B.C. "You have to have some sort of internal craziness to try something like this," said Lisa Wourms of Camas. "I think we all have a touch of that."
Some 2-year-olds play in a sandbox. Tommy Beale jumped into a swimming pool. "I thought I better put him in swimming lessons so I wouldn't have to jump in and save him," said his mother, Linda. "He was able to swim across the pool by the time he was 3, and he joined the swim team when he was 4." On July 15 to 17, the 8-year-old from Camas captured four gold medals for the Columbia River Swim Team at the Oregon Swimming 10-and-younger Long Course Championships, in Bend, Ore. Beale snatched first place in the 50-meter breaststroke, with a time of 47.97 seconds. He also finished first in the 50 butterfly in 44.99. the 50 backstroke in 45.51 and the 100 freestyle in 1:24.51.
Andrew Boyle represented Washougal at the Hershey's Track and Field North American Games Saturday, in Hershey, Penn.
Far away from civilization, six Washougal Panthers and two Canyon Creek Cougars spent the week of July 17 to 23 conquering the eye-opening challenges of the Steens Mountain Running Camp, in Burns, Ore.
Looking across the water at Alcatraz, Brian Humphreys wondered how he was going to land his golf ball in the center of that famous island green on the PGA West's TPC Stadium Course, in Palm Springs, Calif.
Clark County wrestlers of all ages look up to Ben and Cory Vom Baur. Between 1996 and 98, Ben compiled a record of 102 wins and 0 losses, and captured three state championships, when he wrestled for Evergreen High School in Vancouver. He also won two Pac-10 championships and became a two-time NCAA All-American, at Boise State University.
Over the past two weeks, more than 100 youngsters participated in the Portland Timbers and Dan Macaya soccer camps in Camas. "The way this thing is growing, I might have to start running two camps," Macaya said Thursday, after 140 6- to 14-year-olds attended his week long camp at the Prune Hill Sports Park. "The way soccer keeps growing in Camas, I think these camps are going to be here for a while." Especially if Macaya keeps getting help from high school and college level volunteers. This year's ensemble included Camas High School graduates Sami Andrews, Jason Martschinske, Brittany Oljar, Nick Palodichuk, Drew White and CHS senior Olivia Lovell.
Racing fans of the 40-year-old Washougal Motocross Park had never seen so many twists and turns, until Ryan Dungey and Ryan Villopoto took the stage Saturday.
When Sport Road Trip Co-Founders Casey Johnson of Washougal and Michael Walsh of Vancouver returned home July 2, the odometer on their 2011 Lincoln MKX read 7,003.1 miles. The vehicle, provided specifically for the trip by Foothills Lincoln Mazda in Spokane, took the two Boise State University graduate students to 23 different states, 11 Major League Baseball ballparks, five minor league games and the U.S. Open Golf Championship in 25 days. "Once you get past the Midwest, it feels like you're getting closer to home," Johnson said. "There's just something special about the Northwest, especially when you drive back through Montana, Idaho and the Columbia River Gorge. I've lived here my whole life. This is home for me."
dan.trujillo@camaspostrecord.com
